Weird Windchime Video 143/365

I saw this at Territory Days...I went back Monday and bought the LAST ONE! Tomorrow I will show you what it looks like on my porch.

Look What I Got 142/365

 

Mine mine mine mine mine!

In other news...A Decepitcon was spotted on Fillmore headed west. If it transforms near you please call KKTV right away.

Steampunking at Territory days 142/365

You know Leslie and Me. The new girl in the middle is Mary Beth. I got my picture taken a LOT. Had fun fun fun. I even went into a bead store and didn't buy anything lol.

I Want to Believe 141/365

 

Don't try to figure this out, you never will and you just might get a headache from trying.

CSPD 140/365

I got my call from the police, just not the police I called. Officer Laurich, who works at Wasson HS, called about Dakota's shenanigans. The teacher is filing harassment charges. Dakota can fess up and go to Teen Court or he can act ignorant and go to Real Court Downtown.I can hear it now..."I didn't do anything". Right. That's not what a bunch of eye witnesses say.

The plot thickens.

I asked if I could file trespass  charges against Dalton if he shows up again...YES! Can I call 911 in good faith if Dakota goes berserk......YES!!!

I am stuck home tomorrow playing Warden. I got stuff to do so it's ok, but I am indeed going to Territory Days Saturday in my Steampunk outfit. WOOOOOOT!!!!!

The Great Fan Experiment 139/365

Yes, I have survived to blog another day. I have another story to tell but first the fun stuff.

Behold my great FAN EXPERIMENT! Ok not a fan proper, but part of a fan. 

Line with moss, fill with soil and compost stuff back end with crumpled newspaper, plug in various sedums and sempervivums and walllllaaaah!

Got a phone call from the school today. Mr Dakota sprayed silly string into a teacher's eye causing him to lose a contact and resulting in chemical damage to the eye complete with trip to the Doctor. He's definitely out of Wasson HS and probably out of D11.Yep, uh huh...it ain't just me that's mad now, is it? I think we may have to cut this problem child lose like we did with his sister 4 years ago. We will make our decision July 1.

Battle Halley 138/365

I needed to get my spare keyboard out of the hard shelled suitcases I gave to Dakota to use as a TV stand. I moved the TV and happened to look to my right when I reached for the top suitcase. Uhhhh yeah those are my knitting needles. Twisted and bent to hell. Tips covered in resin from a pipe (remember he got suspended for coming to school high). I see RED.


I looked around and found another no no. Candles. In two windows. Picture Jack saying this on two separate occasions..."No candles, you have no need for them. I said no candles, do you understand?"


Now I am doubly mad. I took the suitcases, I took the quilt off the wall I put there 4 years ago. I took Jack's Cars DVD, I took Jacks Lady Antebellum CD, I took Dakota's porno DVD. 

I locked myself in my studio, called the juvenile dept. at the police station (second time I've called, still no call back...your tax dollars at work. If something bad happens to me I want all of you to call News Channel 11 KKTV and tell them I tried to get the police here about this) and waited for the little creep to come home from school.

He went absolutely insane. I mean screaming, door slamming, stomping insane. Over a TV stand , a quilt and a porno movie. Maybe it was the candles. I quietly called Jack and told him to come straight to my room when he got home and yes it would be locked so have key in hand.

Jack came home FINALLY and Dakota starts screaming I ripped him off. I showed him my knitting needles and said you started it and I only took back what was already mine except for your stupid porno movie.

Today I finally realized what Dakota did to get back at me. My phone charger by the coffee pot is gone as is my mom's makeup bag that was in the bathroom. I had hidden everything else, all knitting needles, all candles (hee hee). I'm really pissed about the make up bag. The makeup I actually use is in a different bag but hey it was my dearly departed mother's, ya know? I'm off to hide the real make up and my curling iron. I should probably grab my meds too.

It's war.

TO Liked It! 137/365

We knew he would.

TO's Turkey Stick 136/365

TO (Tee Ohhh) is the GC (General Contractor) up at the big elephant enclosure build at the zoo. He like to turley hunt. Jack wanted to make him a stick in appreciation for all the overtime TO paid for on this job. TO donated the turkey feathers and beard. I did the bead cuff. Jack sewed the bag and fancied up the beard.

 I realize I don't have a pic of whole stick yet again but I am sure Jack will get one when he gives it to TO.

New Birdbath and Mystery Rainbow 135/365

Jack recycled some of the old retaining wall he tore down at the zoo. It's now the base of my birdbath. Let's see the squirrel knock this one over. They did manage to break that small branch the bird feeder is hinging on in this picture. I put it back up where it was *sigh*

My daughter had a mystery rainbow on her wall a few months back. Today I got one. Sorry my camera was on some strange setting that won't let me turn the picture right. How irritating is that?

The Tell Tale Heart Shawl (& don't worry be happy) 134/365

Erin hand dyed this yarn. It's yummy. I used size 8 needles even though it's a sock yarn. I like how it turned out.

For those of you stressing about the so called end of the world tomorrow...please consider Jesus' words at


Matthew 24:36 - "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father."

My Next True Love and The Shipping Saga 134/365

I fell in love with this after seeing Leslie's Facebook post about it. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

I bought it and it got here in three days. Very cool!

On a not-so-cool point....tried to ship the Hawk Stick by USPS today...it's a short stick that didn't weigh much. Ha! They wanted $25+!!! I think not. They have now officially priced us out of using them. We packed it in a different box and took it to the UPS place down off Murray and shipped it for $13.50. I will probably take all my Priority packaging and leave it at the PO downtown for some other fool to use. Even if I have to buy boxes it will be cheaper to go UPS.

More Than One Way to Skin a Cat 133/365

If you can't knit it up, give it away!

Stick update. It wasn't just a treasury that got us noticed, we were actually FEATURED in an Etsy Finds email! We got like 800 hits on our custom made walking sticks in 24 hours. Whoa!

Three Quilt Blocks 132/365

I had planned on doing a lot more sewing today but in all I was lucky to get these done.

The skull block is for SKULL A DAY'S Skull Quilt project to benefit victims of domestic violence. You still have time to make a 12" skull themed block. Here's the info:

Send your finished skull quilt squares to:

Skull-A-Day

PO Box 73236

Richmond, VA 23235

On a note sent with the piece, please include:

Your name

Your city, state and/or country

Your email - I will email you when your block arrives

If you have any questions about the project, feel free to email me at abby@skulladay.com

This piece is one Leslie gave me awhile back (oh wow my font is red how cool is that?) I trimmed it up to 12" x 12" centering the skulls as best I could.

The last one is for quilt guild tomorrow. I only ended up with one small unmatched seam lol. Pretty good for me!

I had hoped to use up more stash. maybe next time eh?

In other news...we sold ANOTHER STICK! I am floored. Someone featured us in a treasury on etsy and it really helped get our product out there. We def need to go up to the mountain looking for sticks soon.

Pining For a Good Sunset 131/365

Oh how I long for those days when I was somehow able to catch a good sunrise or sunset. It just never happens now.  Here's what it USED to look like.

Well there's always hope for tomorrow.

To Be Planted 130/365

Tomatoes of unknown variety (2), strawberries, basil, verbena, dusty miller and lobelia. of course this is assuming it ever warms up! I also have flower seeds to fill in my front beds.

Some of my Old Crazy Quilts 129/365

No horrible headache today, but no real crafting progress either. Here are two of my early crazy quilts.

This one caused quite a stir in my family. I used one of my mom's broken bracelets as a seam treatment and her sister, my Aunt Beverly, had a royal cow over it!

This one was made with African Kenta Fabrics. Is that how you spell it? It's been so long ago that I can't remember. It's hanging on Dakota's wall now but I am thinking about retrieving it due to his recent behavior.

These were made back before I learned the art of hand embellishing but I think they are still striking and the top one did win two ribbons at the fair. I don't think I entered the other one for some reason.

Really? 128/365

Blogger was down? Really? I didn't notice. I have had another day of migraine super pain so, actually ....whatever... I got my own problems. I hope to have a bunch of stash busting projects to show you soon. Assuming  I don't poke a knitting needle in my eye first.

Traumatized 127/365

I meant to get this posted earlier but I was in shock. My poor sprouts  from Tuesdays blog! Nooooooooooooooooo!

A Sweet Pea named Desire and a Nasturtium Named Mike 126/365

I named this little sweet pea Desire. Desire has many little brothers and sisters finally popping up. I was starting to worry.

The first nasturtium on the left (the big one in the corner) is named Mike. Just Mike. Or guitar_strangler. It's all a gimmick anyway.

Maybe....If I hit my head against the wall enough, it will all go away 125/365

I slept through a total of four phone calls from the dean of students this morning. When I got up and called him back I got bad news. Seems my darling stepson showed up to school reeking of marijuana and stoned out of his mind. Oh, imagine that. Didn't I already complain about this to you sir? Needless to say he's suspended for 5 days and supposedly grounded to his room. Oh good goody. More time for me to not get anything done. I can't work under these conditions.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Maybe...I should Pay Better Attention 124/365

I was reminded by Leslie's BLOG that the May theme for NaBloPoMo is MAYBE. See the little thingy over there that says so? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

So MAYBE  I can get some paperwork done, finish that beaded purse soon and work on two pairs of socks. It would help if I didn't have a hormonally induced migraine, which has caused me to lose two days so far this weekend.

The Moose Coincidence 123/365

I watched a Nat Geo Moose show and was fascinated. Lo and behold I saw this at Harding's nursery...coincidence? I think not lol! (Oh and it's only $1700.00 who is buying it for me?)

Things I Could Have Bought But Didn't 122/365

Still no room up at the elephant barn for Jack to work. I did the PTA Teacher/Staff Appreciation Day and then we went yard saling. Here are some things I saw but didn't buy.

Yes, Wooden shoes!

Love the look on this gal's face LOL!

There were TONS of embroidered linens at almost every place we stopped. I just can't justify buying any until I use some of the ones I already own.

Big ass fan.

Here's something I would buy if I ever see it for sale. The Elvis-in-his-underwear picture that hangs at Gunther Toodies 

Jack saw  huge amount of yarn at one sale he hit while I was at the school but he told the woman he couldn't buy it for me because I wasn't buying yarn for a whole year. She thought that was a pretty unrealistic amount of time to abstain but I think I am going to make it just fine!

A Day of Mourning 121/365

No, not for Osama Bin Laden. I have no comment on his death. I am in mourning for one of my favorite restaurants, Red Hot and Blue. I heard from a friend that it might be closed and when we checked it out, sure enough it was. How dare they! We don't have a BBQ joint to call our own now. Famous Dave's? PFFFFFFFFT! Too crowded, too expensive, don't like the ambiance. *Sigh*

In other news...had a message on my answering machine that we might not  probably won't have time to give away my gift bags. OK now tell me why we can't take 5 minutes to draw 12 names? BS I say. I just had Dakota write down 6 men and 6 women he likes at the school. If it turns out we really can't draw names I'll just give the gifties to those persons.

Going to bed so I can be at the school by 7 AM to set up for Staff Appreciation Day. They don't know what they are missing from me. No time indeed!

T-Bird CQ Block 121/365

I get by with a little help from my friends. My Sharpie marker friends lol. It's for a real He-Man type principal so no fancy work. I'll just embroider WHS and 2010-2011 on it, frame it out in black, slap on a back and call it good.

Learning Curve 121/365

What I learned from today's iron on transfer session:

1. The iron has to be at a "just right" temperature. Too cool it don't work, too hot it leaves a mark. 
2. Practice makes perfect.

Wee Gifties for Staff Appreciation Day 120/365

I had plans to sew the rest of the gift bags and start on the T-Bird quilts today but noooooooooooo. After a restless night in which I didn't fall asleep until 3AM I was rudely awakened by a phone call at 7:45 AM from the school informing me that my step son was being belligerent AGAIN! I ended up having to walk down there which, OK , I was planning on doing anyway but at 2PM not so dang early.

Here's what I got done last night. Three bags for females with dishcloths and gum included so far. I think I am going to make up some of my CDs for their summer listening pleasure and some giant M&M cookies also lol. The men will get playing cards, gum and cookies as well as the CD.

The principal, Dr Bonds, gets a T-Bird Crazy Quilt and I will give a second one away as a Grand Prize. Good thing I work best under pressure.

Lillian Goes Steampunk 119/365

Lillian had fun. Almost as much fun as I had dressing her up and showing her off. Too bad the lighting was so poor for the picture talking. Got a few though.

I found another Pirate for Lillian to pose with

 Robo Parrot

My new skirt

Here's my altered Altoid tin waiting to be auctioned off.